CENTER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Earn a Peace Corps Prep Certificate
The Peace Corps Prep (PC Prep) program at Hofstra University will prepare undergraduates for international service through coursework, hands-on experiences, and professional development and is open to all majors.
While a PC Prep Certificate doesn’t guarantee a spot in the Peace Corps, it does signal that you are serious and prepared, should you choose to apply. If you apply to the Peace Corps, you will come ready with cross-cultural competency, experience with service work, and a sector-specific skill (e.g., education, healthcare, public health, environmental studies, political science, and/or language). Whether or not students serve with the Peace Corps, those earning the PC Prep certificate will benefit from the development and application of their professional and intercultural skills.
Advisement & Academic Support
Students working on their PC Prep certificate receive one-on-one support with their public service, course approval, the Peace Corps application process, and interviewing skills from the PC Prep advisors and other campus support staff:
PC Prep Coordinator
Scott Brinton, Professor of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations
CCE Director
Philip Dalton, Professor of Rhetoric and Public Advocacy
Why join the Peace Corps?
You don’t just visit a country—you live in a community, use and grow familiar with the local language, and build relationships that can last decades.
You take on projects that affect people’s lives in matters of education, agriculture, health, environment, community development, or youth programs.
The Coverdell Fellows Program offers graduate school scholarships or assistantships for RPCVs (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers). Peace Corps service can make obtaining an advanced degree more affordable.
You enter the workforce with applied career, interpersonal and group skills.
Peace Corps volunteers may appreciate:
- Federal student loan deferral
- Partial Perkins loan cancellation(for those who still have them)
- Non-competitive eligibility (NCE)for certain U.S. federal jobs
- A modest readjustment allowanceat the end of service
You learn independence, patience, and how to work without clear structure.
RPCV networks are strong and enthusiastic—they help each other with jobs, local advice, and community.
If service is part of your identity, the Peace Corps gives you a tangible way to live your values.
Whether you start from scratch or build on prior knowledge, many report leaving the Peace Corps with conversational or fluent ability.
The Peace Corps offers a path you simply can’t replicate through travel or a standard job.
Program Requirements for Completion
Students must complete four competency areas before graduation:
1. Training and Experience in a Work Sector
- Choose one of six Peace Corps sectors: Education, Health, Environment, Agriculture, Youth in Development, or Community Economic Development.
- Complete at least three courses aligned with the chosen sector.
- Complete a minimum of 50 hours of related volunteer or work experience in that sector.
2. Foreign Language Skills
- Latin America placements: two 200-level Spanish courses (or equivalent proficiency).
- West Africa placements: one 200-level French or Romance language course.
- Other placements: no explicit requirement, but language study encouraged.
3. Intercultural Competence
- Complete three courses: One core course in diversity/intercultural studies (e.g., Intercultural Communication, Cultural Anthropology, or Race and Ethnicity).
4. Professional and Leadership Development
- Conduct a resume review with Hofstra Career Services.
- Attend an interview skills workshop through Career Services.
Contact Us
Peace Corps Prep Coordinator
Scott Brinton
417 Shapiro Hall
516-463-6462
Email
Director, Center for Civic Engagement
Phil Dalton
116 Mason Hall
516-463-7121
Email
On-Campus Liaisons
Curious about experiences others have had in the Peace Corps? Reach out to one of our liaisons
Lorrie McAllister
Dean, Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library and Professor of Library Services
Scott Brinton
Professor of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations
Shawn Thelen
The Robert E. Brockway Distinguished Professor in Marketing & International Business